How Civilization Paves the Way for Native American Representation

As February approaches, Civilization 7 comes with him As a core component of the game, empires and their leaders are stuck in the heads of those willing to play, from well-known figures to those not yet seen in the franchise. However, in all games since then Civ 2a Native American leader makes an appearance.

History is a cornerstone of Civilization even when his game forms a history separate from reality. The games aim for good representation of all civs with a history of caring for Native Americans, especially in terms of language accuracy. In the next edition, Tecumseh of the Shawnee Tribe will continue this legacy, once again questioning how the franchise appears for these communities.

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Civilization's native leaders raise a necessary discussion

Shawnee's Tecumseh lands in Civilization 7

The newest addition to Civilizationhis leaders is an impressive one. Raised in the shadow of the Revolutionary War, Tecumseh is best known for rallying natives from several tribes against the Americans in the War of 1812. Tecumseh was a powerful roar of unity against violent American expansion that took advantage of tribal fracture, representing that vision beyond his death.

As originally reported by The American Press, Firaxis approached Shawnee Tribal Chief Ben Barnes and visited the tribe's headquarters to promote an honest representation of the Shawnee, with a particular focus on preserving the Shawnee language. Firaxis and 2K Games are donating to language revitalization programs as part of the collaboration, and Shawnee actor Dean Dillon will lend his voice to Tecumseh.

While many specific mechanics of Civ 7 are still unknown, basic information about Tecumseh places him as primarily a diplomatic and militaristic leader, with increases in food and production based on Suzerain city-state status. But beyond how the Shawnee appear in the game, their development Civ The presence continues a conversation about placing indigenous leaders in a game that is expansion and exploitation at its core.

Civ Shawnee's skin could right the wrongs of the past

Sid Meier and other studio executives also spoke to the AP to acknowledge “past missteps in Civilization The franchise's casual treatment of history, including how it incorporated indigenous groups and colonization in general.” It goes without saying that Indigenous representation still has a long way to go and for everyone Civilizationits successes, it is not immune to the effort that must be undertaken for a complete and accurate framing of indigenous peoples.

Civ is consistent in including native civs in some way, but the extent of its Shawnee collaboration is a first. Civ 6Poundmaker of the Cree Nation received criticism from director Milton Tootoosis. He said it perpetuated a myth of First Nations leaders partaking in the game's colonial values, despite Poundmaker's actual role in peacekeeping. Tootoosis also said the Cree were not consulted. On the other hand, Poundmaker's leadership skills greatly reward players for being friendly. Similarly, in 2010, Pueblo tribal leaders rejected Firaxis' offer to include a leader in its entirety. Both cases, at least, require an appropriate collaborative effort.

while Civilization is a strategy game that operates entirely on the function of dominating civilization, there is the larger question of what supports the pernicious imperialist views of Native Americans, especially if such leaders are militaristic. For a franchise on the throne of historic games, discussions of nuance and the larger message are imperative.

Sid Meier's superpower is attention to detail

At each level, the Civilization The franchise's attention to detail is its most impressive part, from its elaborate systems to stunning visuals to remarkable linguistic feats. But its developers must intentionally accurately represent the important historical figures they claim stakes in, especially where Native Americans are involved. Fortunately, the Shawnee Tribe's work on the next game is one that spells a very bright future.